Exercise

In addition to being essential to general health and well-being, exercise and physical activity are helpful in managing many MS symptoms. Studies of aerobic exercise programs for people living with MS show some of the benefits to be improvements in:

• cardiovascular fitness
• strength
• bladder and bowel function
• fatigue
• mood
• cognitive function
• bone density
• flexibility

An exercise program should fit your interests and abilities. It may need to be adjusted overtime. A physical therapist or fitness professional knowledgeable about MS can also be helpful in designing an individualized exercise program.

Exercise doesn't have to be a rigorous cardiovascular workout to provide benefits.  Physical activity in general is beneficial and can include a variety of things most people can do in the comfort of their home or community.  Physical activity includes but is not limited to:

• gardening
• household chores
• cooking
• walking the dog
• taking the stairs instead of the elevator

The unique qualities of water provide exceptional benefits to people with MS, including stretching tight muscles and improving flexibility. Water helps people with MS move in ways they may not be able to on land while keeping their body temperature cool. It is important to know that the pool temperature should not exceed 84 degrees Fahrenheit for people with MS.

• Stay hydrated-cold water will help keep your body temperature low
• Exercise in a cool room and if outside, exercise at cooler times during the day
• Remember to stretch afterward
• No pain no gain should not be your mantra
• Start low and go slow

• Yoga and Non-Cardio Exercises: Your Allies in Managing MS Symptoms and Improving Overall Health- telelearning brought to you by the National MS Society and Can Do MS
• Workout Your Worries: Anxiety and Exercise in MS- telelearning brought to you by the National MS Society and Can Do MS
• Your Mind is a Muscle, Too: The Relationship Between Exercise and Cognition- telelearning brought to you by the National MS Society and Can Do MS
• ChairFit with Nancy- series of free exercise videos developed by a physical therapist with years of experience working with people with MS.
• The MS Trust’s (United Kingdom) series of exercise videos for people with MS can be done in a seated or standing position to address balance, endurance, strength and flexibility.
• 14 Weeks to a Healthier You - free, personalized, web-based physical activity and nutrition program targeted to people with mobility limitations, chronic health conditions and physical disabilities. Created by National Center for Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD), the program can help you get moving and make healthy nutrition choices.
• The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults with Multiple Sclerosis can help adults with mild to moderate disability, resulting from relapsing or progressive forms of MS, to improve their fitness.
• The Aquatic Physical Therapy and MS video produced by Laura Diamond, MS, PT, Diamond Physical Therapy Associates, PC, and Jill McElligott, PT, DPT, offers an introduction to the potential benefits of aquatic physical therapy for managing MS symptoms and enhancing fitness. It also provides interviews with a neurologist, a physiatrist and an aquatic physical therapist, all of whom specialize in working with people with MS, as well as with people with MS about their perspectives on aquatics exercise.
• Balanced Body Pilates offers an online search tool to locate Pilates facilities, instructors and studios throughout the U.S. Referrals may also be obtained by phone.
• United States Pilates Association (USPA) offers an online search tool to locate Pilates instructors and studios throughout the U.S. Search by zip code or city/state. Instructors in the search tool are certified under the New York Pilates Studio Teacher Certification Program.
• IDEA Health & Fitness Association With more than 22,000 members, IDEA Health & Fitness Association is the world’s leading membership organization for fitness and wellness professionals.  IDEA offers the FitnessConnect Directory, the largest national industry-wide directory of fitness professionals.  The online directory connects more than 16 million consumers to more than 250,000 fitness professionals, with credentials verified by the top 100 fitness certification and training bodies.
• Connecting to Care — Momentum article